The fourth episode of the new King’s Quest is out. As expected, this chapter doesn’t tread any new ground that you wouldn’t have already visited in Episodes 1-3. But if you’re vested in the characters, this one is worth a look. Episode 4 takes place both before, and after, the King’s Quest 3 of old.

The Story

The game is, once again, framed around Graham telling stories to his granddaughter Gwendolyn. This time the story opens with the kidnapping of Alexander, Graham’s child. There's some cute gameplay of Graham putting his children to sleep before the evil wizard Manannan comes in to steal the baby. After a troublesome 18 years Alexander comes home, and the bulk of the game takes place after that.

This episode is the one that offers the most changes to the established canon. Alexander was taught magic on purpose; it was not something he learned by sneaking into the basement. His wizard-killing cat Cookie was temporary, and Manannan is the major villain of this story. Manannan has been part of the story all along, but I won’t spoil it for you. There is no Dragon laying waste to Daventry, and Rosella was never a sacrifice. The Ice Queen from King’s Quest 5 turns out to be another one of Manannan’s slaves, and Manannan manipulates her power to cause trouble for the royal family in this episode.

The family decides to go on vacation together in an attempt to bond after Alexander’s return. This is where the fun starts. For much of the game you play as Alexander and Graham side by side. I thought the interaction was well done with a good mix of family bonding and angst given their 18 year age difference.

The Production

I love the art style and look of this new King’s Quest. Beauty follows us as we walk through the snowy labyrinth. I think I even shivered once or twice.

The voice acting is, once again, top notch. Christopher Lloyd is awesome as Old Graham and his interactions with Gwendolyn really tie the game together. The supporting cast does a superb job in creating an immersive environment. My only complaint is that Rosella seems emotionless.

The puzzles are primarily logic puzzles that involved sliding tiles around to complete the path out of a room. I like these types of puzzles and enjoyed them, but it makes the game feel more like Portal than King’s Quest. There is no hint of the point-and-click roots here. At one point in the game you must answer the riddle of the Sphinx and I brute-forced my way through it before finally turning to Steam forums for hints. I’m not sure whether to congratulate the team for honoring the genre by including an obscure puzzle that defies all known game mechanics or to ridicule them for it.

This episode of King’s Quest is the longest episode since the first. I spent more than five hours on it. However, a big part of that was being stuck on a few of the puzzles. If you’re luckier or smarter than I am, you’ll probably get through it quicker.

Final Thoughts

If you’re a fan of King’s Quest then you’ll find a lot to love here. The art style is great, the voice acting top notch, and the story is enjoyable. The inclusion of Rosella and Alexander differentiate this episode enough to make me smile, and playing it was like revisiting an old friend.